branches of which had been lopped off. 
The most elevated of the distant sand hills 
represented ns clouds ; while the smaller 
ones appeared like ships under a press of 
sail in the midst of beautiful lakes. ‘This 
henomenon was more particularly apparent 
on the levels, which were in some parts co- 
vered with a saline substance, finely erystal- 
lized, and very shining and brilliant.” 
_ The doctor’s journal in Egyptis filled 
_avith the same impertinences as he 
thought worthy of remark at Constan- 
tinople. <* Major Wilson, of Hom- 
sch’s regiment, arrived in the camp 
on the 15th, with dispatches from the 
British army. He set off in the even- 
ing, mounted on a hedgin, with dis- 
atches from the Grand Vizier,” p. 304, 
k The Vizier was at this time indisposed 
with fever, and required my constant 
‘attendance ; as did also Mahomed Pa- 
¢ha. Lieutenant Janverin of the royal 
navy, was at this time sent off with dis- 
patches for Suez. On the morning of 
the 23d, an officer belonging to the ‘Bri- 
tish cavalry stationed in Phe Delta, came 
into the camp with letters: his arrival 
was followed by that of Major Wilson.” 
“ Trode in the morning along the banks 
of the river, to the vicinity of Shellacan, 
or Charlacan, at the junction of the two 
branches of the Nile, and had thence a 
view of Cairo, as well as of the pyramids 
of Giza. I rode in the afternoon to 
Harrachneah, a village distant three 
miles from Shellacan, and eight from 
Cairo, &c.” ; and so on, with a diary of 
rides, and deaths, and dinners, under 
the title of Travels in Asiatic Turkey, 
Syria, and-Egypt. 
' Sometimes these valuable paragraphs 
are varied by others equally important, 
of a scientific nature. “ Onthe 16th, I 
trode to Belgrade, and returned to 
~Buyukdere. [brought home with me 
some of the air of Belgrade to examine.” 
He brought from Jerusalem two bottles 
of the water of the Dead Sea, which, 
upon their arrival in England, he means 
to endeavour to analyze. A portion of 
the saline matter in the deserts, he col- 
‘lected for future experiments. ‘ I em- 
ployed myself, on the 24th, in examin- 
‘ing the waters I had collected at the 
di rent places at which we had stop- 
: ‘+ ‘s j 
or Ait iS 
aa 
WITTMAN’S TRAVELS IN TURKEY, &c, 
71 
ped in our passage through the desert, 
and collected the residuous matter for 
future experiments. I collected some of 
the mud of the Nile, for the purpose of 
future examination, and shall on its ar- 
rival submit it to a careful analysis.”? 
But none of these future experiments ap- 
pear inthis volume, In one instance, 
the doctor has omitted a scientific de- 
scription where it would have been 
useful. 
«© T procured, at one of the bazars of 
Cairo, a sample of the stone which is em- 
ployed by the Arabs to cure-the mange in 
horses. To effect this, they pound the stone, 
and convert it into a paste, which they 
spread over every part of the animal, sutler- 
ing it to remain on for the space of three days, 
when itis washed off. This stone is collect- 
ed on Mount Mokatam, is of a yellow co- 
lour, of a texture somewhat soft, and is 
named in Arabi¢ tuff.” 
Dr. Wittman can occasionally be ac- 
curate—as when he tells us that the 
Reis Effendi shewed him a pair of pis- 
tols which he had purchased in Landay! 
and which were made by Bennet near 
the Royal Exchange. 
Peace being concluded, the business 
of the military was at an end. Dr. 
Wittman returned to Constantinople, 
touching at several of the Greek Islands 
on his way, and from thence travelled 
by way of Vienna to Helvoetsluys. The 
appendix contains his medical journzls, 
some remarks on plague and ophthalmia, 
anda meteorological journal. 
No person who peruses this volume 
can possibly believe that Dr. Wittman 
collected any part of his original mate- 
rials with a. view to - publication, except 
the medical journals. He seems to have 
raked up ali the rubbish in his memory, 
after his return, with the wilful design 
of making a quarto book; and to have 
poached in old travellers, for descrip- 
tions, measurements, and anecdotes of 
historical topography. The trick has 
perhaps succeeded—and we have only 
to express our wonder and indignation 
thatany bookseller or any author should 
be concerned in so disgraceful a transe 
action, 
Fa 
